Police strikes in Egypt accelerate, adding turmoil

Egyptians mourn during the funeral for Abd Alhaleem Mohanna, 23, who was killed on March 5, 2013 during clashes with riot police, in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. Egypt's police forces have withdrawn from the streets of this restive city on the Suez Canal, handing over security to the military after nearly a week of deadly clashes. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
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Egyptians mourn during the funeral for Abd Alhaleem Mohanna, 23, who was killed on March 5, 2013 during clashes with riot police, in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. Egypt's police forces have withdrawn from the streets of this restive city on the Suez Canal, handing over security to the military after nearly a week of deadly clashes. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
/ AP

Egyptians clean the streets from stones as the army takes over the control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for d— AP

Egyptians clean the streets from stones as the army takes over the control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for d
/ AP

Egyptians chant slogans on top of Egyptian army vehicle as the army is takes over control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)— AP

Egyptians chant slogans on top of Egyptian army vehicle as the army is takes over control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
/ AP

Egyptians chant slogans from on top of an Egyptian army vehicle while the army takes over control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street am— AP

Egyptians chant slogans from on top of an Egyptian army vehicle while the army takes over control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street am
/ AP

Egyptian army soldiers stand guard as they take control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for days. Others have re— AP

Egyptian army soldiers stand guard as they take control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for days. Others have re
/ AP

Egyptians clean up the streets from stones as the Egyptian army takes control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging fo— AP

Egyptians clean up the streets from stones as the Egyptian army takes control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging fo
/ AP

Egyptians clean up the streets as the Egyptian army takes control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for days. Othe— AP

Egyptians clean up the streets as the Egyptian army takes control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for days. Othe
/ AP

Egyptians clean up the streets from stones as the army takes over control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for da— AP

Egyptians clean up the streets from stones as the army takes over control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for da
/ AP

Egyptian protesters chant angry slogans during a demonstration after the noon prayer in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for days. Others have refused orders to deploy to Port Said from elsewhere to help in the f— AP

Egyptian protesters chant angry slogans during a demonstration after the noon prayer in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes raging for days. Others have refused orders to deploy to Port Said from elsewhere to help in the f
/ AP

Women mourn for their relative, Ahmed Abdul Khalim, 24, who was killed with a bullet to his head during recent clashes with Egyptian security forces in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. Egypt's police forces have withdrawn from the streets of this restive city on the Suez Canal, handing over security to the military after nearly a week of deadly clashes.(AP Photo/Ariana Drehsler)— AP

Women mourn for their relative, Ahmed Abdul Khalim, 24, who was killed with a bullet to his head during recent clashes with Egyptian security forces in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. Egypt's police forces have withdrawn from the streets of this restive city on the Suez Canal, handing over security to the military after nearly a week of deadly clashes.(AP Photo/Ariana Drehsler)
/ AP

An Egyptian army soldier helps another soldier with a mask as troops take control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes ragin— AP

An Egyptian army soldier helps another soldier with a mask as troops take control of the state security building after several days of clashes between protesters and riot police in Port Said, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. With the country in chaos from weeks of protests against the Islamist president, the police have now joined the fray, launching their own protests. Some security forces in Port Said have refused to leave their barracks to move against protesters in the street amid clashes ragin
/ AP

Egyptian police officers hold a protest demanding the resignation of the interior minister, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. After weeks of battling with angry young protesters, Egypt's police forces have had enough. Police units around the country have launched mutinies, strikes and protests, accusing the Islamist president of using them to fight his opponents. Angry riot police locked their commander in a camp for hours. Policemen in cities around the country have shut down their statio— AP

Egyptian police officers hold a protest demanding the resignation of the interior minister, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, March 8, 2013. After weeks of battling with angry young protesters, Egypt's police forces have had enough. Police units around the country have launched mutinies, strikes and protests, accusing the Islamist president of using them to fight his opponents. Angry riot police locked their commander in a camp for hours. Policemen in cities around the country have shut down their statio
/ AP

CAIRO 
After months of battling with angry young protesters, many in Egypt's police forces say they have had enough.

Strikes and protests spread around the country Friday by police units frustrated with being blamed for deadly crackdowns on protesters and accusing Islamist President Mohammed Morsi of using them to fight his enemies. In at least 10 of the country's 29 provinces, some units sealed their stations with chains, some calling for the removal of their boss, the interior minister, appointed by Morsi.

In past days, angry riot police locked their top commander in their camp for hours. Others refused to be deployed in clashes with street protesters in Nile Delta cities. Police disobeyed orders to secure Morsi's motorcade route from his palace to his home in eastern Cairo, to guard his family home in the Delta, or to guard the headquarters of his Muslim Brotherhood in the capital.

The wave of police discontent adds a new layer to Egypt's turmoil and sense of breakdown in state institutions. In a sign of the possible repercussions of the disarray, a hardline Islamist group announced its members would take up policing duties in the southern province of Assiut because of strikes by local security forces.

Since late January, cities around the country have been hit by relentless street protests, mainly directed against Morsi and the Brotherhood. Near daily, the demonstrations have turned into clashes with police, resulting in the killing of around 70 protesters. Each death has increased public anger against the security forces.

Some protests have turned into stone-throwing attacks on security agency buildings, and many protesters accuse Morsi of giving a green light to police to use excessive force. Their outrage has been further stoked by reports of torture and abduction of some activists by security agents.

Not all police were joining the strikes. Protesters continued to clash Friday with riot police in Cairo, the Mediterranean city of Alexandria and the Nile Delta city of Mahalla el-Kubra, leaving dozens injured.

Striking police accuse the Brotherhood of trying to take over the Interior Ministry, in charge of police, by infusing it with its sympathizers.

"We hit the bottom and we are fed up. The ministry is falling apart and no one is listening," said Capt. Mohammed Shalabi, who led a group of officers in a sit-in in front of Media City on the outskirts of Cairo.

"Our demands are no to politicization of the ministry, which means no to the Brotherhoodization of the ministry. We are making a pledge to stay away from politics," he said.

Egypt's police and internal security forces are widely hated among Egyptians, a legacy of the rule of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, when they were notorious for abuses, torture and crackdowns on political opponents, including the Brotherhood. Within the security agencies, there remain deep resentments against the Brotherhood and resistance to their coming to power with Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president.

For the past two years, riot police have clashed repeatedly with protesters in the country's stormy transition after Mubarak's fall. Now the discontented among the police say they do not want to be the tool to put down unrest in the political confrontation between the Islamists and their opponents. They also resent complaints by the public that they are abusive and calls for prosecution of policemen for killings of protesters.